Hamilton, Ontario native Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has launched a charitable foundation bearing his initials, the reigning NBA champion and Finals MVP announced this month in a release distributed through PR Newswire. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard said the SGA Foundation is built on three pillars, self-belief, growth and access, with a mission of helping kids and families reach their full potential.
“We’re building pathways for kids and families raising them, built on self-belief, growth, and access,” Gilgeous-Alexander said in the announcement. “Now, with my own foundation, I have a real platform to do it more intentionally, showing up for communities in ways that are lasting and meaningful.”
The foundation is registered as a charity in both Canada and the United States, with its work rooted in Ontario and Oklahoma, the two places Gilgeous-Alexander has said shaped his own path to the NBA. According to the release, activities already underway include annual children’s hospital visits, seasonal giveaways and basketball camps, with additional programs expected to be detailed in the weeks following the launch.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s mother, Charmaine Gilgeous, was also quoted in the release, saying she was proud to see her son turn his own belief into support for other families. “Seeing him turn that belief into something for other families, that’s the proudest I’ve ever been,” she said.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to the 2025 NBA championship and was named Finals MVP, a season that included a hero’s welcome in his hometown of Hamilton, where he was presented with a key to the city. The launch of his own foundation marks his most formal step yet into off court philanthropy, building on community work, including hospital visits and camps, that he has quietly supported for years.
